Extrusion apparatus



1946- E. L. LUACES EXTRUSION APPARATUS Filed July 19, 1944 1 i\\\\\ I S3! V INVENTOR a Q m a L /m L a w m m. .R m8 mm Patented Oct. 29, 1946EXTRUSION APPARATUS Enrique L. Luaces, Dayton, Ohio, assignor toChemical Developments Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of OhioOriginal applications May 26, 1943, Serial No. 488,533, and December 13,1943, Serial No. 514,036. Divided and this application July 19, 1944,Serial No. 545,617

1 This application is a division of copending applications Serial No.488,533 filed May 26, 1943, and Serial No. 514,036 filed December 13,1943.

This invention relates to extruded carbon, and more particularly dealswtih a method and apparatus for producing an extruded carbon materialwhich is particularly well adapted for use as contact mass in adsorptionand catalytic processes, and with the product resulting therefrom.

The method and apparatus of the present invention may be usedadvantageously in the manufacture of extruded irregularly shaped rods ofactivated carbon, and the product thus obtained may be employed to goodadvantage in apparatus for solvent recovery, for extraction orseparation of adsorbable vapors from gaseous media, for the treatment ofliquids and solutions to remove impurities therefrom, and as a catalystin organic reactions such as the production of carbonyl chloride orphosgene from carbon monoxide and chlorine.

Activated carbons of commerce may be in the form of fine powders or inthe form of granules and agglomerated masses of definite shape. Thepowdered materials are employed primarily in the treatment of liquidsand solutions by the socalled contact process, while the granularmaterials are primarily employed for the treatment of ases and vaporsand other airform bodies. To a lesser extent the granular oragglomerated carbons are employed for the treatment of liquids by theso-calied percolation process.

Granular carbons used in the treatment of gases and vapors and otherairform bodies, because of the conditions of service imposed on them,are required to be hard and nonbrittle. Such carbons are generallyobtained using coconut shell and fruit pit charcoals as raw materials,and the commercial product is in the form of granules of the desiredmesh size.

Since coconut shells and fruit pits are obtainable in quantity only incertain localities, activated carbons suitable for the treatment ofgases and vapors and other airiorm bodies are frequently made from woodcharcoal by grinding the charcoal, mixing it with a suitable binder,extruding the mixture to form rods of the desired size and shape(generally short cylinders the length of which may vary from two tothree times the diameter), and then subjecting the rods to an activationprocess by any of the methods well known to those skilled in the art.The agglomerated carbon masses or particles thus produced resemble shortlengths of spaghetti, and while generally solid, may be provided attimes with a small opening or channel centrally disposed along thelongitudinal axis of the particle. Such particles possess a smooth andeven surface contour.

According to the present invention, charcoal in powder form is mixedwith a binder and extruded 4 Claims. (Cl. 18-12) in the usual manner;however, the source of pressure actuating the extrusion mechanism ispulsating and not steady, and the extruded carbon rod thus producedcomprises substantially equidistantly spaced protrusions the distancebetween Which will depend on the frequency of the pulsations of thepressure source actuating the extrusion mechanism.

The extruded carbon rods thus produced are broken up by tumbling in adrum or by any other suitable means and then subjected to activation inthe usual manner. As the rods are broken, the fracture will beinvariably at the weak points between the protrusions, and the resultingcarbon particles will be knob-like in shape. If desired, the rod may beprovided with a central opening to permit a more rapid permeating of theparticle by the gaseous or airform bodies coming into contact with thecarbon particles in use.

The present inventionwill be fully understood from the followingdescription taken in connection with the annexed drawing, wherein;

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an apparatus such as may be usedadvantageously in the practice of the method of this invention;

Fig. 2 diagrammatically represents the extruded carbon rods producedaccording to the method of this invention and illustrates the manner inwhich they fracture;

Fig. 3 illustrates diagrammatically the manner in which the carbongranules produced according to the method of this invention haphazardlypack when they are placed in a suitable container; and

Fig. 4 illustrates in cross section a carbon granule made according tothe method or this invention provided with an internal opening locatedsubstantially centrally along the longitudinal axis of the original rod.

Referring to the drawing in detail, It is the driving wheel of a primemover linked through a connecting rod H to a piston I2 moving within acylinder l3. On the outstroke the piston 12 aspirates pressure fluidthrough line H and check valve [5 from the reservoir Iii, and in theinstroke the piston 12 discharges pressure fluid through check valve l!and line 18 through 4-way valve [9 and line 2i! to the forward end ofthe actuating cylinder 2! of the extrusion press. The rear end of theactuating cylinder 21 is connected through line 22 to the 4-way valvel9, and the 4-way valve 19 is connected through line 23 to the reservoirI6.

The 4-way valve i9 is actuated by a solenoid 24 connected to a source ofelectric power (not shown) through leads 25 and 26 and is actuated by acontactor 21 in response to the limit switch 28 or the limit switch 29as the case might be.

The plunger so of the extrusion press is provided with a toggle 3!adapted to contact and actuate the limit switch 29 on its backwardstroke and to contact and actuate the limit switch 28 on the limitswitch 29 and energize the solenoid 24 through the contactor 21, whileat the end of the forward stroke of the plunger 30 the toggle3l willopen the limit switch 28 and actuate the solenoid 24 through the meansof the contactorfl.

The extrusion machine illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided with a hopper 32and an extrusion chamber 33 provided with an extrusion die. 34 having aplurality of openings thereon. A mixture of powdered carbon material andbinder is stored in the hopper 32 and is caused to flow into and fillthe extrusion chamber 33 as the plunger 30 moves on its backward stroke.As the backwardstroke of the plunger comes to an end, the toggle 3|closes the limit switch 29 and actuates the solenoidj24 through thecontaotor 2! :andthe 4-way valve l9 thus permits the flow of pressurefluid fromthe cylinder i3 through check valve I 1 and lines i8 and 22 tothe rear end of the actuating cylinder 2! in the extrusion apparatus.Since the pressure fluid is subjected to pulsating pressure, the forwardmovement of the plunger 30 will be intermittent or jerky, and the rodsextruded through the orifices on the die 3%" will have substantially theconfiguration illustrated in'Fig. 2 of the-drawing.

Asthe plunger 30 completes its forward. movement, the toggle 3! opensthe limit switch 28 which actuates the solenoid "24 through thecontactor 21, and pressurefluid then flows through the 4-way valve i9from the cylinder l3 through check valve .l'! and lines 18 and 29 intothe for- .ward end of the actuating cylinder 2| in'the extrusion pressto bring about the backward movement ofthe plunger 30.

Ashas been noted, the carbon rods produced according tothe procedureabove outlined, have the general configuration shown in Fig. 2. Theycomprise protuberances 35 lying between portions of lesser diameter 35,and when broken up each individual-granule or agglomerate will consistof a portion of greater girth 3'! flanked by portions of lesser girth38. They may be providedwith a central opening or channel 39 asillustrated in Fig. 4 by suitable arrangement of the :die 34 on theextrusion chamber 33. In any event, therods produced are broken up bytumbling, by cutting, or by any other suitable means along the portionsof lesser diameter 36 as illustrated in Fig. 2, and, after activation,the carbon granules or agglomerates may be employed for whatever purposethey have been intended.

As will be. noted from Fig. 3, the carbon granules which resultfrom thepractice of this invention, because of their particular shape, bringabout thorough contact between themselves and tion, it is notintended-thereby to have this invention limited to or circumscribed bythe particular details of construction, arrangement of. parts, products,procedures, or conditions herein described or illustrated in the drawingin view of the vfact that this invention is susceptible to modificationsaccording to individual preference and conditions without departing fromthe spirit of this disclosure and the scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for extruding a rod having alternate areas of greaterand lesser diameters, the combination of a source of pulsating pressure,an extrusion chamber, a piston movable in .saidiextrusion"chamber, meansfor applying said 7 pressure tosaid piston, an extrusion die .in saidchamber, 'and means for admitting material to be extruded into saidextrusion chamber, said source of pulsating pressure providing for anintermittent movement of said piston during one stroke.

2. In apparatus for extruding a rod having alternate areas of greaterand lesser diameters, the combination of an extrusion chamber, anextrusion die in said chamber, hopper means in association with saidchamber, piston means movable within said chamber, a pressure actuatedcylinder in association with said'piston, means for controlling flow ofpressure fluid into and out of said pressure cylinder, said controllingmeans-being automatically operated by the movement of said piston, meansfor delivering fluid pressure to said'pressure cylinder, and means forproviding intermittent fluid flow' during each stroke of said piston. i

3. In apparatus for extruding a rod having alternate areas of greaterand lesser diameters, the combination of an extrusion chamber, an

extrusion die in said chamber, hopper means in association with saidchamber, a piston movable within said chamber, a pressure cylinder inassociation with said chamber, a piston movable within said chamber, apressure cylinder in association with said piston, means for controllingthe flow" of fluid under pressure into and out of said cylinder, saidcontrolling means being automatically operated by the movement of saidpiston,

means for delivering fluid under pressure-to said cylinder, means forproviding intermittent fluid flow during-eachstroke of said pistons, andmeans for receiving fluid discharged from said-cylinder. .4. Inapparatus for extruding a rod having alternate areas of greater andlesser diameters,

fluid, means for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure into andout of said cylinder, said controlling means being automaticallyoperated by the movement of said piston, means for delivering fluidunder pressure to said cylinder, means ior providing intermittent fluidflow during each stroke. of said pistons, and means for receiving fluiddischarged from said cylinder.

E. L. LUAoEs.

